Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-12-09
FRIDAY. DECEMBER .. 1887.
The Presidents Message
Tariff his Only Topic.

The message of President Cleve-
land to Congress 10 rather singular
document. Heretofore it has been
the practice, and supposed to be the
command Of the Constitution, that
the President in his annual message
must give to Congress Information
Of the State Of the Union" The an
nual messages Of Presidents generally
contained : summary Of the affairs Of
the country. But President Cleve-
land ignores this practice-makes .
new departure" in fact. BY referring
Congress for information to the re-
ports made by the different heads OF
departments, on all subjects save that
Of the tariff.
This subject be treats in such .
way as to bring it up and make it .
direct and immediate bsae before the
people. Certainly the Republicans
can have no objection to this. 1t is
inst what they would desire, and
they have to thank Mr.. Cleveland for
his apparent forcing the issue. His
vhole argument is against the prin-
ctple of protection. And they are
the old arguments, such - used ffty
years ago. The following from bis
message will show We do him no in
justice in this statement. Speaking
Of our "Scbeme Of Taxation" as be
calls our tariff laws, be says: These
laws. g their primary and plain ef.
feet. raise the price TO consumers OF
I'll articles imported and subject TO
TO duty, by precisely the sum paid
for aoch duties. Thus the amount of
tie duty measures the tax paid by
those Who purchase for use these i'm
ported articles. Many OF these
thinss. however, are manufactured
n our own country. and the duties
now levied upon foreign goods and
ueoducts are called protection TO these
home manufacturers, because they
render Il possible for those of our
neouIe Who are manufacturers TO
msks taxed articles and sell them for
! urice equal to that demanded for
The imported goods that have paid
customs duty. So 1t happens that
While compasatively few use the i'm.
uorted articles. millions Of our people
Who never uss and never saw any Of
The foreign products, purchase and
use things OF the same kind made 10
this country, and pay therefor nesrly
O. quite the same enhanced price
which the duty adds to the imported
articles. Those who buy imports
nav the duty placed and charged
thereon into the treasury, but the
crest majority Of our citizens, who
buy domestic articles Of the same
class. psy : som 1t least approx
mstsly equal to this duty to the home
manufacturer"
A careful reading Of the above dis
closes the old free trade principle.
Bot what II the amount Of duty laid
dos raise the price to consumers!
u Il not better II should be 90 than
70 - dependant upon and buy
from foreign countries7 Protection
70 home industries gives employment
- home lsboress and mechanics. and
market for farmers and producers.
So II even the consumer does pay the
manufacturer The price Of the tsrin,
The tariff at the same time has given
The consumer employment and mar.
kst at home for bis labor or produc-
tion. Suppose there 10 no home pro-
lection or home market. Then would
We not pay to the foreign manufacturer
wbst We now pay to our owny And
there wouId b. no competition, "the
nte Of trade" And there would be
no place for homo labor. and hence
no home market. II would be .
strange country that does not protect
IT. own industries, as strange ~ .
man who did not protect bis own
busipess. The whole argument Of
the President II against this prin-
ciple, and, bringing 1t up In the
manner be has, It will soon be acted
spon BY the people at the polls, and
will be decided against him.
We will give his message in full
II our next.
"A "Snrprise Party" and other
communications will be seen on the
- tktu nvnw